Money

KISS' Gene Simmons has stern words for bands still on the fence when it comes to their Russian concerts -- what are you waiting for? Cancel it!

We got Gene at Kings Road Cafe Thursday in Los Angeles ... he says bands should stick together in solidarity and take Russia off their tour schedules -- something KISS is doing.

He tells us there are more important things happening in the world that should take priority over a simple rock concert -- obviously referring to the war in Ukraine.

Gene thinks an American band that travels and puts on a show for the Russian people would be giving a thumbs up to President Vladimir Putin and his current attack.

Ever since the war began, artists have been pulling out of their Russian performances -- Imagine Dragons, Eric Clapton, Gorillaz, and Louis Tomlinson are just a few.

Matthew McConaughey has a head full of hair ... and in return, he's become a walking billboard for the company that helped him achieve his full mane ... a Co. that says he helped their biz during a dire time.

ICYMI ... Matt recently shut down rumors that a hair transplant was the culprit of his incredible hair transformation. Instead, he said that Regenix's daily hair ointment saved him. Well, we talked to the folks at the company, and they say it is actually Matt who saved their business.

Bill Edwards, CEO of Regenix tells TMZ ... McConaughey has been a customer of the hair ointment brand since 1999. It wasn't until he gave the company a shoutout on the 'Late Show' in 2001 that it began to see a huge uptick of customers from all over the world.

The 'McConaughey effect' increased demand to where the company had to initiate a new mail-order program for potential International clients. Under this new program, folks send hair samples in, and Regenix designs a tailored plan to regrow hair.

So, when the pandemic hit in 2020, Regnix's brick and mortar clinic in L.A. was forced to shut down ... and the company decided to go all-in on expanding their existing mail-order program. In return, Bill says they didn't lose a single customer.

Bill says, Matt helped the hair treatment company on multiple fronts -- getting more customers and giving them a new way to withstand the Covid-19 business doom.

"Real Housewives of Orange County" alum Elizabeth Lyn Vargas is giving up desert life ... for now, anyway -- TMZ's learned she's selling her home in the Palm Springs area for just under $10 million.

We're told Elizabeth listed the 6 bed, 7.5 bath home on Wednesday, and she's hoping to get at least $9.95 million, to be exact, for the 9,2000-sq ft. pad in the gated La Quinta neighborhood.

The house is much different from when she snagged it in February 2021 for just $3.3 million. We're told Elizabeth renovated the entire place over the last year, giving it modern finishes ... decking it out with new flooring, new fixtures and new paint.

The spread comes with some pretty neat features outside -- like an extended patio, a BBQ center and a private lake. The next owner can also enjoy a spa and a custom pool with waterfalls -- oh, and we can't forget the lighted tennis court!

The former 'RHOC' star still has another home in Newport Beach. You'll recall, that was the home where her ex-boyfriend barricaded himself inside, after she called the cops on him.

Despite having ongoing issues with her ex, it seems like she's staying focused on all the right things.

We’re told she's looking to scoop up another property in the desert -- this time in the Madison Club, where she might see some pretty familiar faces. Kris Jenner, Kourtney Kardashian, Lori Loughlin and Mossimo Giannulli all have homes in that community.

Kobe Bryant's shooting shirt from his iconic 81-point game just sold for a massive $277,000 at auction -- and the lucky buyer also got a one-of-one NFT that came with it.

The shirt is a one-of-a-kind piece ... not only was it worn by the Mamba before he scored the 2nd-most points ever in an NBA game (back in 2006), experts at Sotheby's tell TMZ Sports it's the ONLY worn piece from that game on the market.

We're told it was worn six other times by Kobe, too -- including in the 2006 playoffs.

We're also told the shoes from that historic game were sent to the Basketball Hall of Fame and the uniform is owned by Bryant's family -- so this might be the only Bryant-donned item from the game that ever becomes available.

The auction for the shooting shirt closed last week -- and after a bunch of bidding, the rare piece sold for a total of $277,200.

The lucky buyer is David Kohler, President of SCP Auctions and owner of one of the largest private Lakers memorabilia collections in the world, and he said after the sale he's pumped to now own the item.

"After collecting Kobe Bryant memorabilia throughout many years, I am thrilled and honored to add this very special artifact from one of the most significant games in NBA history to my collection," Kohler said.

George Takei thinks Americans need to be willing to tighten their belt and shoulder bloated checkout tallies in solidarity with Ukraine -- but he's kinda catching heat for the suggestion.

The 'Star Trek' actor took to Twitter Friday with his sentiment, writing ... "Americans: We can endure higher prices for food and gas if it means putting the screws to Putin. Consider it a patriotic donation in the fight for freedom over tyranny."

Sounds innocent enough -- fact is, there is bound to be more inflation as a result of this conflict and the sanctions President Biden has imposed ... whether we like it or not.

If anything, it sounds like GT is telling folks to have a better attitude about it rather than actually proposing they act on it ... 'cause, frankly, there isn't much to do at the moment. Now, as you can imagine ... his idea is being embraced by some, but rejected by others.

The pushback ... namely, that George is a rich celebrity, and he comes off a bit tone-deaf here telling ordinary people to chip in for a good cause -- at least in his critics' eyes. Essentially, it's sounding like an elitist POV (to them) ... and talking down to "little people."

Big picture ... this convo is turning into rich vs. poor, which is a raging debate in this country -- as it seems there's a growing hatred of the 1%, whom many feel could be/should be contributing more to help society. In this case, George is on the receiving end of that.

Of course, the flip side of this is ... who the hell knows what George may already be doing and/or donating to help the cause in Ukraine? He could be pouring tons of cash and other resources toward the effort without anyone's knowledge -- and if he is, would he still be considered an opulent snob up in the ivory tower??? If we're being honest ... probably not.

Sharon and Ozzy Osbourne are done with L.A. ... in fact, they're bailing from the U.S.

Ozzy and Sharon are moving to the U.K. ... Ozzy told The Mirror it's because the tax rate is too high.  He wasn't specific if it was the CA tax rate (which is insanely high), the U.S. tax rate or both.

It's a big move ... they've lived in Bev Hills for a quarter-century.

Ozzy told The Mirror, "I am taking my recording studio with me. I am going to build a barn there and make my own studio at Welders. I will still be making music and my band will come over."

The Osbournes and Bev Hills have become synonymous ... as you know, their hit show "The Osbourne's" rooted in the mansion ran from 2002 to 2005.

As for Sharon, well she has lots of opportunities in England for sure.

Looks like they'll be doing some consulting from a distance ... there's a new flick in the works chronicling Ozzy and Sharon's relationship. Black Sabbath and some of Ozzy's solos will provide the soundtrack for the movie.

The 2 met in 1970 and things turned romantic 9 years later.

Neyo White went viral after a trip to a Georgia spa turned into a trip from hell ... and now he says he's taking legal action.

In the video, Neyo details what went down Feb 17 ... and how he ended up with burns all over his face after going to a Buckhead spa for a chemical peel. He also makes two things clear -- this isn't a stunt for clout, and he absolutely plans to sue.

Neyo says he had gone to the spa before, to get other facial procedures, to help with discoloration and evenness ... but he wanted to try something a little stronger, so he went in for a chemical peel.

Neyo says he felt burning during the process, but the woman doing the peel assured him that everything was fine. Well, things were not fine ... and 4 days later he ended up with burns and a completely discolored face.

It looks pretty painful, to say the least ... but luckily, we're told he is slowly recovering.

As far as the folks at the spa, Neyo says they haven't responded to him and have denied his Cash App request for a refund on the chemical peel ... so, now he plans to take matters into his own hands.

Neyo plans to sue for his legal bills, medical fees, and Uber payments for his hospital trips. He also wants to be refunded for the $150 chemical peel.

Brooklyn Beckham and his fiancée, Nicola Peltz, are one giant step closer to taking their talents to Miami ... cause the couple just found a buyer for their $11 mil L.A. mansion.

The couple's unloading their 5-bedroom, 7-bathroom pad -- less than a year after buying it -- as they reportedly shop around for a more humble abode on the west coast and also a home in MIA.

Once the deal is made and the keys are handed over, the buyer will definitely be able to let his/her hair down -- the place has a ton of zen.

There's a white crystal quartz massage room, sauna, heated pool, spa, steam room and a rooftop made for meditation.

Might we add, it also comes with a pretty amazing view that overlooks a portion of L.A.

BTW, 22-year-old Brooklyn's mom and pop, David and Victoria Beckham, have already snagged a penthouse in Miami ... and Nicola has some family in Palm Beach. So, the South FL move will put them closer to family.

The couple got engaged back in July 2020 and moved into the mansion back in summer 2021.

As they gear up to tie the knot, looks like they are keeping family at the forefront of their mind.

YFN Lucci is desperate to get out of jail as he awaits trial in his murder case ... because he thinks he might literally die behind bars if he stays locked up.

According to new legal docs, the rapper claims a fellow inmate at the Fulton County Jail stabbed him last month ... and he also says he's been told there's a bounty on his head among inmates.

In the docs, obtained by TMZ, YFN Lucci claims he was stabbed from behind while on a video call with someone on the outside ... and he says the other inmate used a homemade shank to stab him.

Since the alleged stabbing back on Feb. 9, YFN Lucci claims he's been told there's a price on his head ... and he fears his life is in jeopardy if he remains in custody.

As a result, YFN Lucci is asking the judge to grant him bond so he can get the hell outta jail ... and he says he would be down with 24-hour home confinement and wear a monitoring device if he gets out.

Remember ... Lucci is in jail right now because prosecutors said he violated the previous bond conditions in his murder case by going to a strip club and a recording studio.

So, it will be interesting to see if he gets another shot.

We reached out to YFN Lucci's lawyer and the jail ... so far no word back.

Shaquille O'Neal's turning 50 this weekend, but he ain't slowing down ... in fact, the NBA legend's literally getting faster after getting a brand new, customized Dodge Charger Hellcat for his big day.

The NBA Hall of Famer -- who's turning the big 50 on March 6 -- showed off his new whip on Friday ... saying it's the "best birthday ever!"

The car looks awesome ... with it's custom silver and red paint job and scissor doors (like on a Lamborghini). It also has the words "Diesel Dog Mafia" painted on the hood.

And, it's not just any old Charger ... it's a Hellcat, with about 800 horsepower.

Shaq was extremely hyped and thanked Swaggpack Shaq, Atlanta Street Xecs and Padgett Motor Sports for getting him the bday ride.

"Best car club ever," Shaq said, "love you guys thanks."

Shaq (of course) also had to take a shot at his buddy Chuck.

"I feel like Charles Barkley eating a piece of chocolate cake."

Antonio Brown might want to reconsider the dark black mask he's been wearing around lately ... because it might have just cost him some paint on his pricey Ferrari.

The NFL star was leaving Craig's in Los Angeles on Thursday night ... when he decided to drive away in his fancy sports car in a mask that could not have been easy to see through.

Turns out, the choice of headwear was a pretty poor decision ... because you can see in video of his exit, after he flipped off photogs, he struggled to steer the Ferrari, and ended up driving it straight into a curb.

Footage shows the bottom of Brown's car nicked the cement -- and it was so apparent, one bystander actually yelled at the former Tampa Bay Buccaneer to stop going forward.

"Your car!" a woman can be heard screaming. "Sweetheart!"

Brown eventually got the Ferrari going the right way -- but check out the clip, it's clear he was having trouble moving the ride around while in his mask.

As for a potential bill for the ride's bumper -- it certainly won't be cheap if it is indeed damaged -- the Ferrari 488 he was cruising around in can cost over $330,000!!!

"Selling Sunset" star Christine Quinn narrowly escaped violent intruders early Friday ... and what saved them is some sturdy glass.

Christine, her husband, Christian Richards, and their son were sound asleep when they were awakened by some noise outside the house.

They apparently didn't see anything when they peered outside, but when they checked their security footage they were horrified to see 2 armed people trying to break in through a window.

What saved them from a home invasion robbery -- triple-pane glass that just wouldn't crack.

They called 911 and cops got there in minutes, but the robbers escaped.

Christine lives in the Hollywood Hills above the Sunset Strip. That area, along with others in the L.A. area, have been hit hard by crime over the last year.

Christine says the window the robbers were trying to break was 4 feet from her bedroom. She says it was the most horrifying moment of her life.

Cardi B's legal victory over a blogger who defamed her isn't stopping the woman from trashing Cardi ... so now, the rapper wants a judge to gag her forever.

Cardi filed docs Thursday night in federal court, demanding a permanent injunction against Tasha K, whom Cardi defeated in a defamation trial back in January. The jury awarded Cardi about $4 million ... but in the docs she says that's done nothing to stop Tasha from spreading the very lies that landed her in court.

As we've reported, Tasha's falsely claimed Cardi committed adultery, has STIs and was a prostitute.

According to the docs, Tasha bragged back in August ... "Even if they did sue, bitch I ain't got but a dollar to my name bitch, what are you going to get? And there's always bankruptcy bitch." Tasha even said, "I'm going to pull a 50 Cent on that bitch" ... referring to Fiddy's bankruptcy filing back in 2015.

Cardi also accuses Tasha of fraudulently moving assets to make it more difficult to collect the millions -- a move she's allegedly boasted about on her YouTube vlog, saying "Let me tell you how this was a blessing though. Cause can't nobody else sue me, and even if they do, I ain't got no money. We've got estate lawyers, we've got every mother f***ing thing. I ain't got s*** in my name bitch."

In fact, Tasha even testified during the trial she wouldn't stop repeating defamatory lies unless the court forces her to do so.

Aaaand that's exactly what Cardi's asking for now -- an injunction to stop Tasha from saying any defamatory statements now, and in the future, and to force her to delete all past videos or posts containing those lies.

Run, don't walk -- except those holding sharp objects -- to the iconic Florida house from "Edward Scissorhands" which is back on the market!

Current owner Joey Klops tells TMZ ... the house, which is 20 minutes outside of Tampa, went up for sale Wednesday for $699,900 -- a big change from when he and his wife bought it back in September 2020 for only $230K.

The 3 bed, 2 bath home is instantly recognizable to any die-hard fan ... after his purchase, Joey says he craftily restored the home to its movie quality, highlighting the whimsical Victorian looks that made it so iconic.

As we reported, the property -- home to the Boggs family in the film -- was transformed into a museum a year after being purchased ... with tons of memorabilia from the film on display.

Joey and his family aren't taking the relics and art with them when they leave -- giving the goodies to the buyer! He says the homeowner will be able to "live in a true wonderland" with all the treasures left behind.

How does the man with a $195 million contract treat himself for his birthday?! By copping a Richard Mille watch worth $500k!

TMZ Sports has learned the Boston Celtics star wanted to celebrate the big 2-4 with a big new watch -- so he hit up celeb jeweler Eric Da Jeweler.

It's not just any watch, BTW ... it's a Richard Mille, which are famously known for their unique designs, cases and quality material.

Tatum copped the all-white RM055 Bubba Watson watch that has skeletonized movement and a grade 5 titanium case band and back bezel.

When it comes to the price -- we're told it cost JT $500k!

That may seem like a lot but the 6-foot-8 hooper already made over $57 million since the Celtics drafted him in 2017.

Eric tells us he made the special delivery to JT out in Boston the night before his big day -- giving Tatum some time to enjoy his gift ahead of the Grizzlies-Celtics game.

Tatum's 4-year-old son, Deuce, also delivered a dope gift -- by making him a bday video of all his favorite childhood spots in his hometown of St. Louis.

Meghan Markle didn't have the crappy childhood she wants the public to believe, according to her half sister ... who is now dragging Meghan to court, suing over that famous Oprah Winfrey interview.

Samantha Markle is suing Meghan for defamation, and she's especially pissed about some of the things she and Prince Harry told Oprah about the Markle fam. In the docs, obtained by TMZ, Samantha rips into Meghan for spinning a "rags to royalty" narrative about herself which she claims is simply false.

Samantha claims Meghan is trashing her, and spreading outright lies, in order to bolster the notion she's overcome leeching family members. For example, Sam points out she and Meghan share the same father in Thomas Markle ... yet Meghan told Oprah she was an "only child."

She also claims Meghan dropped another lie when she told Oprah she'd last seen Samantha "at least 18, 19 years ago and before that, 10 years before that."

Those aren't the only alleged disses ... Samantha claims Meghan got it flat out wrong when she told Oprah Samantha only changed her surname to Markle after Meghan started dating Harry.

In the suit, Samantha also claims Meghan's fabricated tales of growing up in "virtual poverty" ... because Thomas paid for her to attend "elite and expensive private schools," and dance and acting classes. She claims dad also covered Meghan's tuition and living expenses when she went to Northwestern University ... something the Duchess told Oprah and Ellen DeGeneres she worked to pay for herself.

As for Meghan's motive -- Samantha claims the alleged lies about her and their father were part of a calculated effort so "they could not interfere with or contradict the false narrative and fairytale life story concocted by" Meghan.

Samantha says Meghan's harsh words have hurt sales of her autobiography, prevented her from getting jobs and caused emotional and mental distress.